CHAPTER 3 - A MATE'S TEARS

-NIA’S POV-

“Open this damn door!” Dalton roared after banging down my apartment at eight in the night. “Nia!”

Although my wolf growled at me, I decided to ignore Dalton as I lounged on my almond-linen, upholstered sleeper sofa in my small living room. I laid on my side with my head resting on my knuckles, and a light yellow corduroy cushion beside my chest while watching the latest episode of my favorite series ‘Dish the Dirt.’

Being Alpha meant that he would get away with that ruckus. No one was going to call the police or ask us to be quiet because Alphas controlled the entire region. Instead, the nosy tenants will pretend to mind their business while eavesdropping.

“I’m giving you one last chance, Nia!” He commanded with authority. The door handle rattled vigorously, and I heard a kick that swayed its hinges.

I rolled my eyes and turned the television volume to the max. Dalton hasn’t figured out that his alpha tone won’t work on me.

“I’ve had a really fucked-up day, Nia!” He boomed over the noise, getting more riled up.

If I opened the door, he would probably take it out on me anyway. Although he was going to burst through it any minute now.

It was three days ago since I visited Dalton’s office, and he threw me out. It took him another two days before he buzzed my phone and filled my voicemail to find out how I was doing. The main reason behind those calls was that Brooke informed him that my cousin from Rhomboyd Pack invited me to her lake house party on Friday.

Apparently, it turned him into a bug-a-boo because he was making sure that I did not leave the territory. One minute he was mister possessive and the next, I was a pain in his ass. It was stressful. So, I decided to fight the mate bond and take a break from him.

Yeah, so now he’s about to break into my home. How was he any better than my Dad?

When the hinges cracked and there was a loud crash, I kept my gaze on the two women who were fighting based on gossip on the show. It was odd that Dalton made no movement. It was so strange that it distracted me and got my attention.

My door died, lying on the floor in two halves while he stood huffing with the deadliest scowl, and eyes sending daggers at me. He was rugged yet attractive, wearing a white jersey that flaunted his six-pack and chiseled chest with his favorite football player's name emblazoned on it. He casually matched it with black sweatpants with two white lines down the sides.

Heavy footsteps marched to the sofa, and he sat down beside me. Without my permission, he took up the remote from beside my bosom, intentionally brushing the soft mount of my breast, and turned off the television. I was infuriated.

“What is it, Dalton?” I muttered moodily.

“Do I need a reason to see you?” He groused and pouted like a child.

He coasted a hand from my exposed leg and up my thigh, rumpling the hem of my green, button-down sleep shirt all the way to my waist. Shock waves rushed over my body. His fingers lingered there to play with the waistband of my lace, white underwear.

“I wanted to be alone tonight.” I sneered, lying flat on my back and avoiding his gaze. The white popcorn ceiling was more interesting.

“Why?” He took my face in between his hands and rubbed his nose against mine, affectionately.

Oh my gosh.

Armed with his enticing green apples and neroli scent that wafted up my nostrils, he was cracking my protesting barriers. He brushed his lips against mine, pecking them. The mate bond was flaring up and I had to get out of it quickly.

What I was going to say was going to spark his anger. This was a conversation that we had to have because I was starting to feel like I was his side-chick, rather than his mate.

“Who’s pregnant?” I muttered against his lips.

His entire body stiffened. He lifted his head and his cobalt blue eyes pierced into mine. Then his brows furrowed. “Are you?”

“No,” I answered quickly.

“Good,” he said, and his features relaxed. His head dipped, coming in for a kiss.

I pushed at his chest, averting my head, and tried to get up. “We need to talk, Dalton.”

He frowned with perplexity and leaned back. I sat upright and tucked the cushion in my lap.

“I hope you’re not going to tell me that you want a child.” He curled his lips in annoyance.

I waved a hand to dismiss that and asked, “Is the pregnant woman that you’ve been visiting carrying your child?”

His blue eyes lit with fury and he jolted to his feet. “It’s your father influencing you with this shit, right?”

“Don’t you dare do that!” I scrambled from the sofa to stand up, facing him. “I saw the ultrasound that fell from your pocket and I know that you’ve been sleeping with her.”

He snorted and then laughed. “Your problem is that you are too jealous. Get some self-confidence, Nia.”

Already prepared for his denial, I snatched my phone from the rustic coffee center table. I pressed buttons and slid fingers on the screen to find the evidence.

Dalton flopped down on the sofa, leaning back with fingers interlocked behind his head, looking comfortable. Then his eyes glazed over to mind-link someone. As werewolves, members of the same pack could speak through a mental channel.

As soon as I found the video in the phone gallery, I shoved it in his face. “That’s you, your Alpha ring, and your fucking whore.”

With tweezed eyebrows, his orbs watched the screen and then peered up at me in an uptight silence. The ugly expression on his face made me uneasy.

Five additional seconds of guilty silence went by.

I folded my arms, tapping my right foot and gave him time to come clean.

A long exhalation was ejected from his parted lips. “We got together before you and I knew we were mates.”

It was more lies because, in my soul, I knew the truth. It was devastating. My world shattered at the indirect confession. A part of me wanted the lies that would keep the fairy tale going. Instead, for once, he chose to spew half-truths.

“Bullshit!” I yelled at him after mulling over everything. “The size of that belly and the ultrasound showed that she was ready to pop. She’s four months pregnant!”

Werewolves gestation period takes five months for a full-term baby to be born. Even a dunce clown could do the maths.

“Alright.” He leaned forward, rubbing half of his face and staring down at the hardwood floor. “Chase and I went to a club. We danced with this chick and ended up fucking her. The baby could be his or mine.” He lowered his hand and looked at me when he said, monotonously, “Don’t let this get between us because I don’t want her.”

I scoffed and stumbled two steps backwards. The phone fell from my hand. My wolf was in so much pain. It had paralyzed my body. I couldn't move. A deep ache thrummed in my chest. I stared at him as my eyes watered.

My wolf started howling in my head and I blocked her out. Our wolves knew only one thing and that was to be with their mates, regardless of the circumstances. It was how the mate bond operated. It caused our human side to be weak to our soulmates, whether we loved them or not.

Love?

Dalton doesn’t love me. If he did, he’d never cheat on me.

Images of the video projected into my head. My intellectual concluded that he must believe that he was the father to be keeping her that close to him.

More lies.

I was such a fucking fool. I trusted him. Anger and humiliation burn through me like hot coals.

“I need you to leave.” I walked towards my kitchen with an impulse to grab the knife and slice him up. I can’t bear to look at him right now.

“No.” Dalton was on my heels, touching my arms.

I swung around and slapped his hand away.“You are two years older than me. You would have known that I was your mate way before I did.”

“I was having fun before you came along, Nia.” He snapped, grabbing the top of the dining chair while gesturing with the other hand. “I wasn’t going to sit down and wait until you felt the bond to be with someone. I have needs, and you are ignoring them right now.”

Livid, I shouted, “Get the fuck out!”

His eyes widened in surprise. “It’s in the past. Dwelling on it will only hurt you more, but it’s good that you found out. I don’t have to hide it from you anymore.”

He’s such an asshole. I snatched a clean glass and threw it at him. He ducked and the glass shattered across the room. I wish that I had never met him. Dad was right all along. Stupid, stupid, Nia. I scolded myself.

My hand caressed my edges aimlessly as I unconsciously did short paces. I needed to think about how to handle this. But I can’t think about anything. Everything was jumbled and surreal and a flash flood warning of tears was swirling behind my burning eyes.

My phone vibrated on the floor. I was in my head and too consumed with the pain of betrayal to register that it was ringing off the hook.

“Hello.” Dalton had picked up my cell phone in the living room. “Hold on.” He moved towards me in the kitchen. “It’s your Mom. It sounds important.”

My slow trembling hands took the phone from him. “Mom?”

“Oh my God, Nia!” Mom wailed and panic crept inside of me.

“Mom, what’s wrong?” My heart pounded erratically in my chest. A bad awry sensation twisted in my gut.

“It’s your father.” She choked out, crying.

“Where’s Dad?” The worry in my voice escalated. The frantic knot in my gut tightened.

“He left us, Nia.” She mumbled with shuddering gasps. “Baby, he’s gone.”

“G―” I couldn’t finish the word. Enough water had pooled in my eyes to finally trickle over my eyelids.

Words failed Mom, leaving her in a horrified, bawling mess. Loud screeches and screams scratched my eardrums.

Dalton snuck behind me, caressing my shoulders. He kissed the top of my head repeatedly.

“I― I’m― I’ll―,” I stuttered while sinking into some sort of scrambled hole.

Everything was a blur. Every breath felt like torture. I wanted to tell Mom that I was rushing over. Instead, I crashed to the floor with Dalton going down with me. I closed my eyes tightly and sobbed loudly.

He kept me in his delicate embrace and kissed my temple while whispering gently, “Your father’s gone now. I’m all you need and I’m going to be there for you.”

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